Roller board device



P 25, 1956 s. WASHBURN, JR

ROLLER BOARD DEVICE Filed March 18, 1955 IITTOR/VE) United States Patent C6 2,764,411 ROLLER hoisiii) fnnvica Stanley Washburn, In, Port Washington, N. Y. Application March 18, 1953, Serial No. 343,115

1 Claim. (Cl. 272-1) This invention relates to a game and more specifically to a game of balance.

It is an object of this invention to provide a rollable device upon which a person stands in its operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a game device upon which a person can balance by shifting weight.

It is another object of this invention to provide a game device having a board portion balanced on a cylindrical roller for receiving a person who employs the device by balancing on the board as positioned on the roller.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a game device in which a contestant rolls a board to and fro on a roller while maintaining balance by distribution of weight.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the game device of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section view of the game device of Fig. 1 taken longitudinally on line 22 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a between plane view of the game device of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a vertical section view of the device of Figs. 1

and 2 taken transversely of Fig. 2 on the line 4 4 in the direction of the arrows.

This invention provides a board balanced on a roller in such a way that the board can be manipulated to move with relation to the roller by one standing on the board and moving it longitudinally to and fro over the roller. At the same time, by the proper shifting of weight, the manipulator may remain in an erect position standing on the board While so manipulating it. Fig. 1 shows the movable game device of this invention made up of two main parts, a flat board member 11 positioned on a cylindrical roller member 12. A rubber mat 13 on the upper side of the board member 11 provides an upper surface 14 of the movable device 19. As seen in Figs. 2 and 3 a fiat lower surface 15 is provided on the other side of the board 13. A rail 16 depends from the lower surface 15 of the board member 11. The roller 12 is preferably greater than 4 inches in diameter.

The roller 12 is provided with a central radial groove 17. This central groove 17 forms a bar 18 at the center of the roller 12. The bar 18 connects a pair of cylinders 19 formed in the roller 12 by the groove 17. The cylinders 19 contact the lower surface 15 of the board 11 in the normal operating position of the game device of this invention as shown in Figs. 14. Referring specifically to Fig. 2, it is seen that the cylinders 19 of the roller 12 shown in that figure contact the lower surface 15 at point A. The cylinders 19 are each provided with a cylindrical surface 20. The cylindrical surface 20 of the cylinders 19 contacts both the ground that supports Patented Sept. 25, 19 56 the device 10 and the lower surface 15 of the board 11. As long as the roller 12 is supporting the board 11, the board 11 may be rolled on the cylinders 19 and on the surfaces20 of the cylinders 19, which surfaces roll both with "relation to the surface supporting the device 10 and the lower surface 15 of the board 11.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it would be seen that there is normally no contact between the rail 16 and the surfaces of the groove 17. The rail 16 has a bottom surface 22 and a side surface 23 on each of its two sides. The groove 17 has a cylindrical surface 24 at each side of the groove and a circumferential surface 21 on the bar 18. The rail 16 does not contact the surface 21 of the groove 17. Unlike the contact between surfaces 20 and surface 15, the surface 22 is normally out of contact with the surface 21 during the relative motion between the board 11 and the roller 12. The spacing between surfaces 21 and 22 is best illustrated in the transverse sectional view of the device 10, as shown in Fig. 4. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the board 11 is supported on the circumferential surfaces 20 of the cylinders 19. Thus the board -11 rolls on the surfaces 20 and not on the surfaces 21 and 24. In a modification of this invention not shown, the central rail 16 may be replaced by one or more side rails which guide the roller 12 either in side groove or grooves or by bearing against the roller ends.

This rolling motion between the roller 12 and the board 11 permits a rapid shifting of the roller 12 and the board 11 with relation to each other at the same time that the board 11 is balanced on the roller 12. The travel of.

the roller 12 with relation to the board 11 and vice versa is limited by end stops 25 transversely fastened on the lower surface 15 at each end of the board 11. The end stops 25 are used to support the end of the board 11, when it is tilted to the degree that one end touches the supporting surface. The rail 16 is provided with a cambered surface 26 at each end to permit the end stops 25 to support the tilted board 11. Thus the rail 16 does not touch the supporting surface.

In the operation of this invention a person stands on surface 14 with both feet. With a proper distribution of Weight by the person, the board 11 may be balanced on the roller 12 with both ends ofi the supporting surface.

By shifting of weight in one direction or another the manipulating person may move the board 11 with relation to the roller 12. This motion is longitudinal with relation to the board and is tangential to the outer cylindrical surfaces 20 of the cylinders 19. At the same time that the board 11 is moved longitudinally and tangentially to the cylinders 19, the ends of the board 11 are maintained off the supporting surface by the proper and constant redistribution of weight. It will thus be seen that the board 11 can be moved to and fro over the roller 12 while the manipulator, by quickly shifting weight, avoids falling off of the board. This manipulation and reciprocation of the board provides both exercise and amusement for the person so operating the board. The board or a group of boards according to this invention also can be used in an endurance contest among a number of persons. In such a contest the winner is the person who stands erect on the board for the longest period.

It will be readily understood that various modifications of the device of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, the above noted description together with the drawings is for the purpose of illustration. It is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A balancing device comprising a cylindrical roller member having two end cylinder portions of about the same diameter separated by an intervening concentric cylindrical portion of smaller diameter, the space between the end portions forming a groove, a rectangular flat board member adapted to be supported by said roller member, a rail member projecting from end to end on the under surface of said board member which is adapted to ride in the groove between said end cylinder portions and limit stop means at opposite ends of said board member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 218,588 Sperry Aug. 12,

5 1,423,946 Konigsberg July 25, 1,824,920 Novak Sept. 29, 2,253,996 Bechman Aug. 26, 2,473,868 Domke June 21,

OTHER REFERENCES 

